So I'm not really serious about this mountaineering stuff and because of this I bought a pair of trek shoes, a 60L bag and a sleeping bag and some ukay-ukay stuffs for my outfit.
Last February 12-13, 2011 we went to Concepcion, Iloilo for an another adventure.
The Manaphag "fun climb" was a product of ideas about climbing a mountain that is something new for all of us. So Last december, I did a lil research about Manaphag and planned for a "fun climb". A fun climb in mountaineering glossary means an easy mountain climb with a little or basic climbing skills will be used or to simplify it maybe the best word would be "trekking".
My research gave me a few reviews like its one of the steppest mountain but its not high. I've seen a few pictures of some mountaineers who went there but informations about the place wasn't that really "informative". I drop a message on the group site of UPVM in FB asking if when they want to climb and i proposed by the end of january. So replies from friends showed that they want it by the first week of february, so as everybody wants it, the schedule was moved.
The date was set on February 5.
This was the tentative itinerary of the climb
ITINERARY Mt. Manaphag Fun Climb February 5-6, 2011
Day 1 February 5, 2011
0700 At Tagbak Terminal (Jaro, Iloilo) take HPQ bus to Concepcion
0945 ETA Concepcion; walk to the fish port
1000 From fish port, take only trip to Pan de Azucar (1000H)
1100 ETA Pan de Azucar Island;
1130 lunch, ask for guide
1300 Start trek from coast via South Face
1600 ETA summit of Pan de Azucar
1630 Start descent via North Face
1830 Back at Base camp (beach front =p)
Day 2 February 6, 2011
0600 Walk to pier to take only trip back to Concepction
0700 ETA Concepcion; take bus
1000 Back in Iloilo City
- Itinerary is subject for change
MEAL PLAN
FEBRUARY 5, 2011
Breakfast at Iloilo city (Own Expense)
Lunch Pack Lunch
Dinner
FEBRUARY 6, 2011
Breakfast at Concepcion town (own expense)
ESTIMATED BUDGET
Php 600.00
200.00 Bus Fare (Back & Forth) ILO-CPN-ILO
100.00 Boat Fare (Back & Forth) CPN-ISLAND-CPN
300.00 Food for Dinner and Other expenses
600.00 TOTAL
- Budget is subject for change
THINGS TO BRING
- Trek attire
- Tent/sleeping bags
- Jacket/windbreakers etc.
- Cook sets/ eating utensils/ Burners
- Personal Belongings
- etc
Days before the planned trip, the weather was erratic. The wind blew strongly at night and rains were in and out. The contact in Manaphag said that it would be impossible for a boat ride in the island because of strong sea waves. So we decided to postpone the trip.
The postponed date was supposed to be the birthday of a mountaineer friend and planning to celebrate it in Manaphag. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather, the climb was again rescheduled.
Because the said activity is something we have looked forward we rescheduled the event after a week. The date was February 12-13, 2011 and confirmed participants were 6.
Me, Ryan Ocumen, Merlan Lanusga, Carmela, Alfie and Tata.
Day before the climb, we contacted the tourism officer in concepcion to help us cross the island and to ask for details regarding the climb. What we've got is a business proposal from the officer and were suggested to rent a boat for Php 1,500.00 which would take us to the island and back to Concepcion. The Officer also offered Php 1000.00 for the accomodation but we refused all of these suggestions and instead followed what was suggested in Pinoy Mountaineer's website.
The PM's website suggests that we can take a boat ride from the fish port to the Island at 10:00 and that it will cost us 30 pesos each and we can leave the island at 6 am in the morning since there's only one trip for a day to cross the island. The website also suggests that we can opt to set up our tents near the shore so we could not pay for the accomodation of a '"mini-resort:".
So at past 6 we were already in Tagbak Terminal for Concepcion HPQ bus ride. The bus left at past 7 and almost 730 since it waited for some passengers that were having a field trip in concepcion and unfortunately were with them.
We arrived in concepcion at 1030 and we delegated ourselves to buy stuffs in the mainland to ask for details how to cross the island. We end up in the tourism office but the tourism officer we contacted was not there.
The boat ride to Manaphag left the mainland at 1130 am and it took us 1 hour to reach the island.
While were on th on the boat we chatted some locals and asked us different questions such as why are we going there? are we missionaries? or why do we want to climb Manaphag? questions which led us to a local which happens to be a baranggay kagawad and told us about Manaphag, where could we possibly stay and who can guide us to the mountain. This baranggay Kagawad led us to a friend of him who's also a kagawad and helped us to find a guide.
After finishing our pork-chiken adobo lunch, we left our packs and started to trek at 1:30 pm. I know at that very moment that we won't make it at the top given that were late for our schedule and we're not familiar with the mountain.
As we started to climb the mountain, I was getting nervous because our guide led us to the south trail. There are two existing trails, the north and the south trail. The north trail is at the back side of the island while the south trail is at front side where we stopped. At the time we arrived in the island there's no possibility that the we can take the north trail since its an hour walk to go to the other side. The difference between these two trails is that the south trail is more difficult than the north trail. That's it!
So as I was saying, it made me nervous since i think im just the only one who knows that this mountain is steep and my companions have no idea about the terrain. As we started to climb, the steep trail started to unfold with 45 degrees to 90 degrees in angle. i was nervous for our first time climbers since they have no idea on techniques and we thought this was "fun climb". As we approach the middle part of the mountain, i can see that my mates were already tired. We tried to go on and rest in a crag where we had our 2nd rest and decided to stop because it would be difficult to go back down while its dark.
We went down the mountain smoothly with a lil bruises from thorns and some bites from giant ants but all of us were safe.
We rest in the shore and had our post climb and assessed ourselves.
Before the sun went down, we started to cook for our dinner. Our menu includes spaghetti, sinugbang isda, our pork-chicken adobo left over. Thankfully, we were accomodated by the kagawad and offered his house for us to stay for the night. The electricity went off at 9 pm in the island but fortunately, the kagawad's house has its own electrical line so we had enjoyed a light for that night with Tanduay to help us sleep well =)
At around 330 am we were awaken by strong winds and rain. The group continued to sleep and at 4:00 am we prepared hot water for painit and cook scrambled eggs for breakfast. The rain didn't stop and were looking for possibilities that we will be stranded in the island. At around 530 am the rain and wind are still strong, we were advised the day before that we should catch the morning boat ride from the island or else we'll stay for another day. So at that time, we could not see any signs people queuing so we thought maybe they'll wait until the weather is okay. At around 7 am the rain stopped but the wind is still strong, the people already started to line up and we hurriedly joined them.
The waves are quite strong and huge but luckily, were still alive =)
We arrived in the mainland safe and tired. At around 10 pm we took the HPQ bus ride back to Iloilo City.
The "fun climb" was fun after all. The surprises and the wonder of nature that we have found. Next time, i'll be back and i'll make sure i'll make it to the top.
MANAPHAG!, till we meet again =)
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